Saints Sideline Blog

TAMPA TURNAROUND

Sunday, October 17th, 2010      Email Print

DATELINE: Tampa,FL /October 17th,2010 (No Baby Brees, but plenty of offense)
 
Its probably good the Bucs blacked out this game, the home team's lack of support insured the Tampa Bay area didn't get a glimpse of the Saints Breakout Bash. Hardly Must See TV for any Buc fan but a sight for every Saints' sore eyes.The wait is over for that Saints "when is the offense gonna play like last year" game as this Buc bashing featured many "super-like" moments. The deep ball was back, as was the running game and not to be left out- the Saints defense nearly pitched a shutout. Give credit to Sean Payton who has accentuated the positive to his guys all week long about the things they were doing right more than their miscues. The result, New Orleans comes off one of the worst games of the Payton era (see Arizona) to rebound and turn in its best effort of the year.
 
The resurrection of the Saints offense was a complete team effort. We start with the running game. No Reggie, No Pierre, no problem. Chris Ivory did something no Saint back had done this season-rush for over 100 yards. Ivory took it a step further, the rookie rushed for 158 yards and averaged, yes AVERAGED 10.5 yards a carry. Sure he did his damage against a Bucs defense which ranked 30th in the NFL against the run entering this game, but Ivory ran with a purpose and a passion this offense has lacked. "I thought he played solid. He did a real good job." Payton said afterwards.Hard to argue with that, the only hiccup was a fumble that rolled out of bounds in the 3rd quarter. Ivory, whose been prone to being careless with the ole pigskin knows he must continue to correct the only Achilles Heel of his game. This time last year, the Saints rookie was often injured as a running back for Division two Tiffin college-he acknowledged afterwards, what a difference a year makes.
 
What a difference a week makes for Drew Brees. The Saints QB rediscovered his downfield mojo finding Lance Moore in the endzone from 41 yards out and then found Meachem deep for a 42 yard TD connection. Brees acknowledged with me after the game that the team was motivated after hearing for weeks when is the offense gonna break out and when are the defending champs were gonna play, well "Super" again. He completed his first 7 passes of the game and his first four scoring drives were not only efficient they were consistent. Brees and the Saints churned in drives of (4:36, 4:39, 4:31 and 4:17) The Saints offense put up 475 total yards, which was its high of the year and the highest since amassing 480 yards Monday Night against the Patriots last year.
 
Oh yeah, the defense wasn't too bad either. You always see something for the first time at an NFL game-this week the "first" may have been an NFL kicker missing a field goal off the same upright-TWICE. Bucs kicker Conner Barth's deja vu moment seemed to preserve the Saints first shutout since Christmas Eve of 1995 against the Jets. They came close, allowing a 4th down Bucs score late in the 4th. In the end, Saints fans got an answer to an interesting question today. What would happen if the offense would start playing as well as the defense?---your answer was found here in Tampa.
 
WHO DAT HITS
 
JENKINS VS FREEMAN: Its not often you see a QB taking on a Safety but the frustrations boiled over late in this game when Malcolm Jenkins hit Bucs QB Josh Freeman late which created a little scrum on the sidelines.Jenkins take " Nobody threw a punch at me, after I hit the quarterback, the whole sideline came over pushing and shoving, and they called another flag on me.I've never seen anybody get a penality for 30-yards before."
GREER'S SHOULDER: With Tracy Porter out, the last thing this defense needed was losing Jabari Greer but that's what happened when the Saints corner left in the 3rd quarter. Greer said he couldn't reveal specifics afterwards but will have it tested and is hopeful he won't be out for long.
 
HERE'S TO YOU MR.....:Rookie Patrick Robinson got the start and came close to picking off a pass but was singled out by Payton who says he continues to improve.
 
HARTLEY HICCUP: No panic afterwards on the surface afterwards from Garrett Hartley or his coach following another short miss, this one from 33 yards out. Hartley says he considers it an anomaly he will learn from and Payton didn't hold back firmly backing his kicker afterwards.
 
BABY BREES: Drew tells me no movement on the Baby Brees front after the game. His wife Brittany is expecting their second son tomorrow but claimed if the baby was early she wouldn't alert Brees during the Bucs game-well that's not an issue now. Brees added that he has the name down to five finalists -it will begin with a B, but we couldn't get any hints from the future dad.
 
NOBODY ASKED ME BUT: I think the Bucs own one of the best stadiums in the NFL.The pirate ship in the north endzone is the best landmark in the league, and even though the outside of the stadium is pretty drab, the inside is spectacular. My top five stadiums in the NFL
 
(1) Baltimore----huge jumbotron, crab cakes in the press box!
(2) Tampa- gotta love the pirate ship and when they fire those cannons-even though they saved on the ammuntion this week!
(3) Seattle- Quest field offers a nice picturesque view of Seattle.
(4) Philadelphia-great looking stadium, its number 4 because its in Philadelphia
(5) Green Bay-Tradition, Tradition, Tradition
 
UNTIL NEXT BLOG,
Mike Nabors
CST

By: Mike Nabors

An Emmy award winning sports reporter who covers a wide variety of events for CST. Primarily, Mike serves as the network's reporter for Saints coverage.

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